The visit once again affirmed that defense cooperation is one of the important pillars of the "Vietnam - China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership".
Friendship and cooperation have been the main streams throughout the history of Vietnam-China relations. Since General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's official visit to China from October 30 to November 1, 2022, the "Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership" between the two countries has been developing well. In particular, bilateral defense cooperation has been promoted by both sides in recent times, becoming increasingly in-depth, substantive and effective.
Senior Lieutenant General Ha Ve Dong warmly welcomed General Phan Van Giang on his first official visit to China as Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defense of Vietnam and his attendance at the Beijing Xiangshan Forum on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the two countries upgrading their relations to a “Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership”; believing that the visit will make an important contribution to deepening the good traditional friendship between the two Parties, the two countries in general and the two armies in particular.
After the solemn welcoming ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Ha Ve Dong and Senior General Phan Van Giang held talks.
General Phan Van Giang affirmed that China is a neighboring country, a traditional friend, has similar ideology, is led by the Communist Party, and has all the highest priorities in Vietnam's foreign policy. The Party, government, army and people of Vietnam always appreciate and remember the great assistance of the Party, government, army and people of China in the cause of national liberation and reunification in the past and in the cause of national construction today. General Phan Van Giang emphasized that in any circumstances, Vietnam always adheres to the consistent viewpoint of attaching importance to building a relationship of solidarity, friendship, long-term stability, solid trust and comprehensive cooperation with China.
General Phan Van Giang stated that Vietnam always adheres to its foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, peace, friendship, cooperation and development; and is consistent with the "4 no's" defense policy: No participation in military alliances; no ally with one country to fight another; no allowing foreign countries to set up military bases or use its territory to fight against other countries; no use of force or threat of force in international relations. Vietnam always considers maintaining a peaceful and stable security environment as one of the key factors for cooperation and mutual development; always welcomes initiatives and cooperation mechanisms of all countries for the purpose of peace, stability, mutual development, and positive contributions to the common interests of the region. Vietnam highly appreciates China's major, global and mutually beneficial cooperation initiatives, such as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, the Belt and Road Initiative, etc.
Senior Lieutenant General Ha Ve Dong affirmed that China attaches importance to consolidating and developing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with Vietnam, a neighboring country with mountains and rivers connected by shared ideals. The Party, State, army and people of the two countries always support and help each other in the revolutionary cause.
Appreciating Vietnam's "4 No's" defense policy, the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission of China emphasized that defense cooperation between China and Vietnam is one of the important pillars, contributing to enhancing the friendly and cooperative relations between the two Parties and two States, for the benefit of the people of the two countries, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in each country as well as in the region and the world.
The two sides agreed that 2023 will witness many vibrant cooperation activities between the two armies after a long period of being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Delegation exchanges between the two armies have resumed with high frequency; cooperation in human resource training has received attention from both sides and been effectively implemented; the two countries' navies and coast guards have maintained good bilateral cooperation mechanisms; cooperation in land border management has been thoroughly grasped and seriously implemented by the functional forces of both sides.
The two sides agreed that the potential for defense cooperation between the two countries still has much room for development. In the coming time, the two sides need to maintain regular delegation exchanges and high-level meetings between leaders of the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense of the two countries; continue to organize border defense friendship exchanges; promote exchanges and sharing of methods and experiences in conducting party work and political work in the army; at the same time, research and expand areas of cooperation such as: Training high-quality human resources, defense industry, strategic research, military medicine, especially traditional medicine, as well as areas in which China has strengths and Vietnam has needs and vice versa.
Regarding the East Sea issue, the two sides agreed that it is necessary to have sincere and frank discussions, control disagreements well, and jointly find appropriate solutions in accordance with the common perception of the high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and two countries; fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon complete the development of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law.
At the meeting, General Phan Van Giang also respectfully invited Senior Lieutenant General Ha Ve Dong and leaders of the Central Military Commission and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense to attend the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army and the second Vietnam International Defense Exhibition at the end of 2024.
With sincere thanks for the invitation to attend and speak at the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, General Phan Van Giang believes that under the direction of the Central Military Commission and the Chinese Ministry of National Defense, the forum will certainly be a great success.
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